“Rampage” Jackson wins unanimous decision in Bellator main event

“Rampage” Jackson wins unanimous decision in Bellator main event

Quinton “Rampage” Jackson won a unanimous decision over Muhammed “King Mo” Lawal in the main event of Bellator Fighting Championships’ first pay-per-view event Saturday in Southaven, Miss.

Lawal scored several takedowns in the first and third rounds, but Jackson, fighting just outside his hometown of Memphis, Tenn., landed more power punches and earned the favor of all three judges.

Jackson, a former Ultimate Fighting Championship light heavyweight champion, opened a cut over Lawal’s eye in the second round and improved to 3-0 in Bellator to win the organization’s light heavyweight tournament.

Another former UFC light heavyweight champion, Tito Ortiz, returned from nearly a two-year absence to win his Bellator debut with a first-round technical submission over Bellator middleweight champion Alexander Shlemenko in a 205-pound nontitle bout.

Ortiz ended Shlemenko’s 13-fight winning streak by choking him out with an arm triangle.

Also, Will Brooks won the Bellator interim lightweight title with a split decision over Michael Chandler.